Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Civil Rights MovementThe Civil Rights Movement

Civil RightsCivil Rights

Rights that Rights that apply to every apply to every citizen of a citizen of a countrycountry

SegregationSegregation

MLK’s Early LifeMLK’s Early Life

Born in 1929Born in 1929

Graduated from Graduated from a segregated a segregated high school at high school at age fifteenage fifteen

MLK’s Early LifeMLK’s Early Life

Voted senior Voted senior president of a president of a predominately white predominately white senior class at the senior class at the seminaryseminary

Married Coretta Scott Married Coretta Scott and had two sons and and had two sons and two daughterstwo daughters

MLK as MinisterMLK as Minister

Became pastor of the Became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Baptist Church in Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama in 1954 and Alabama in 1954 and a member of the a member of the executive committee executive committee of the NAACPof the NAACP

The Bus BoycottThe Bus Boycott

Lead the Lead the Montgomery Bus Montgomery Bus Boycott—the first Boycott—the first great nonviolent great nonviolent Negro protest, Negro protest, which lasted 382 which lasted 382 daysdays

The Bus BoycottThe Bus Boycott

During the boycott, During the boycott, King was arrested, his King was arrested, his home was bombed, home was bombed, and he was subjected and he was subjected to personal abuseto personal abuse

Finally, the Supreme Finally, the Supreme Court ruled that Court ruled that segregation on busses segregation on busses was unconstitutionalwas unconstitutional

Southern Christian Leadership Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)Conference (SCLC)

King and other SCLC leaders King and other SCLC leaders encouraged use of nonviolent encouraged use of nonviolent actionaction

These actions included marches, These actions included marches,

demonstrations, and boycottsdemonstrations, and boycotts

The violent responses to these The violent responses to these peaceful actions forced the peaceful actions forced the government to confront the government to confront the issues of injustice and racism in issues of injustice and racism in the Souththe South

I Have a DreamI Have a Dream

King & other black King & other black leaders organized the leaders organized the 1963 March on 1963 March on WashingtonWashington

200,000 civil rights 200,000 civil rights supporters gathered in supporters gathered in DC to hear his speechDC to hear his speech

The march & speech The march & speech helped lead to the Civil helped lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964Rights Act of 1964

Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace Prize

Received the Nobel Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964Peace Prize in 1964

Gave the $54,123 of Gave the $54,123 of prize money to prize money to organizations that organizations that furthered the civil furthered the civil rights movementrights movement

Selma MarchesSelma Marches In 1965 SCLC joined a voting-In 1965 SCLC joined a voting-

rights protest march from rights protest march from SelmaSelma, Alabama, to , Alabama, to Montgomery in support of black Montgomery in support of black voting rights in the statevoting rights in the state

Police beat and tear-gassed the Police beat and tear-gassed the marchers just outside of Selma.marchers just outside of Selma.

The day came to be known as The day came to be known as Bloody SundayBloody Sunday

The march created support for The march created support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Selma MarchesSelma Marches

After the Voting Rights Act of 1965 After the Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed, many white Americans who had passed, many white Americans who had supported MLK believed that the job was supported MLK believed that the job was donedone

The focus began to shift from civil rights to The focus began to shift from civil rights to

the anti-war (Vietnam) movementthe anti-war (Vietnam) movement

Economic IssuesEconomic Issues

Throughout 1966 and 1967 King Throughout 1966 and 1967 King increasingly turned the focus of his civil increasingly turned the focus of his civil rights activism toward economic issuesrights activism toward economic issues

This emphasis on economic rights took This emphasis on economic rights took King to Memphis, Tennessee in support of King to Memphis, Tennessee in support of striking black garbage workers in 1968striking black garbage workers in 1968

DeathDeath

He was assassinated in He was assassinated in Memphis by a sniper on Memphis by a sniper on April 4, 1968April 4, 1968

News of King’s News of King’s assassination prompted assassination prompted riots in more than 100 US riots in more than 100 US citiescities

In 1969 James Earl Ray, In 1969 James Earl Ray, an escaped white convict, an escaped white convict, plead guilty to the murder plead guilty to the murder of King and was sentenced of King and was sentenced to 99 years in prison to 99 years in prison

Martin Luther King DayMartin Luther King Day

Ronald Reagan signed Ronald Reagan signed the Martin Luther King the Martin Luther King Day into law in 1983, and Day into law in 1983, and it was first observed in it was first observed in 1986. At first, some 1986. At first, some states resisted observing states resisted observing the holiday as such, the holiday as such, giving it alternative giving it alternative names or combining it names or combining it with other holidays. It was with other holidays. It was officially observed in all officially observed in all 50 states for the first time 50 states for the first time in 2000.in 2000.